WASHINGTON (CNN) - Days after both men reversed course on major issues, the presidential campaigns of Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain spent much of Sunday's talk-show circuit working to ensure accusations of "flip-flopping" don't stick.

Both sides tried to go on offense, with the Obama camp accusing McCain of "yet another flip-flop," on the issue of oil drilling and the McCain camp saying Obama broke his word on the issue of campaign financing.

McCain said he now supports lifting a federal ban on off-shore drilling that he once supported.

Daschle pointed to the issue, saying, "we're surprised at yet another flip-flop on the part of John McCain here."

But McCain's economic adviser Carly Fiorina, on CBS' "Face the Nation," argued that "a good leader is influenced by the facts on the ground."

She added, "We've never before faced a situation where the price of a barrel of oil has doubled in the last 12 months. So what John McCain has said is that we now need to take control of our own energy future." Watch more on the off-shore drilling debate »

When McCain announced his decision Tuesday, he said off-shore oil drilling could be part of a plan "in the short term in resolving our energy crisis." But many analysts argue any significant oil production gain would be years away.

On the issue of campaign financing, Obama announced Thursday he would not take public financing for the general election.

Obama, the presumptive Democratic nominee, had long spoken in support of public financing, and when asked on a questionnaire whether he would accept public financing if the competition did, he answered "yes."

soundoff(105 Responses)

ps

And I would rather support a candidate that changes a position based on changes in the conditions faced by the American people than by one that changes his position (with a SIGNED agreement) for personal gain.

June 22, 2008 09:05 pm at 9:05 pm |

2Nurselady

Obama is making mistake after mistake, the worst of which is that he has failed to unite the Democratic Party. I do not see any leadership ability in him.

June 22, 2008 09:08 pm at 9:08 pm |

Rauji kibet

which foreign policy does mcain possess,serving in military and being a p.o.w does not qualify one to be an expert of foreign policy,iraq is an example of poor foreign policy,iraq is neither korea nor germany,this is war that will not end,its not about liberation its about occupation and that creates unforgiving atrocities which will fuel war for a long time,combined with the difference in culture and religion,there will be fighting as long as american troops are still in iraq,spending billions of money while countries like china,japan,germany,france are expanding their economy,its time to build ours.

June 22, 2008 09:10 pm at 9:10 pm |

Trasa, Texas

Off shore drilling still won't solve anything, because in the end, we're still making ourselves dependent on oil, just close to home. Maybe it could work for now, but I'm getting sick and tired of trying to use quick fixes, but that will be just another bandaid over the real problem. Oil isn't going to last forever, so we need to find other solutions. Even if prices came down to were it was before the 9/11 attacks, we would go right back to consuming so much of the world's resources in crude/oil and besides it's already going to take several years already to get that up and running were it maybe effective. True, you could drill for now and during that time discover other alternatives, but I don't see that happening because there's money to be made in oil. If the consumption of oil reduces dramatically, your talking about job loss in the oil industry and oil producing countries that depend on the oil they sell as income would not survive well. With that in mind, I don't ever see anyone jumping up and down doing anything because their driven by money.

June 22, 2008 09:10 pm at 9:10 pm |

Independant Vet

It looks as if , what ever is done for the best, And you changed for the good of gas guzzlers. Now what the heck are they all crying about.

Who has FLIPPED FLOOPED more in the past 5 months, His list is so long , now he wants HC to come along an carry his Baggage.

Better yet go read his book , The AUDACITY of HOPE. In it he say's. I WILL STAND WITH THE MUSLIMS SHOULD THE POLITICAL WINDS SHIFT IN AN UGLY DIRECTION >

Now he has that NEW SEAL HE STANDS BEHIND > NEXT HE WILL MOVE THE WHITE HOUSE TO A MUSLIM COUNTRY <

YES < YOU DEMOCRITICS AN THOSE WHO VOTE FOR YOU DO NOT SHED A TEAR < WHEN YOUR DOLLARS ARE GONE <AN ALL YOU HAVE LEFT